@hikinghack and I talked about the camera trap work after the GOSH Community Council meeting today. He’s happy to help do some of the surgery we’ve discussed, and also some field testing! Thanks @hikinghack!
We also talked about how OpenCV can help once we obtain the images, namely:
- Calibrating with a “chessboard”: OpenCV: Camera Calibration
- Creating a chessboard: OpenCV: Create calibration pattern
- Stereo image processing to produce depth maps: OpenCV: Depth Map from Stereo Images
This is exactly what I planned to do, since it will allow my acoustic recorder to trigger one or more camera traps simultaneously. I was thinking that a 2.5mm audio TS jack would make a suitable signal interface. The interface PCB I mentioned would be glued on the CT’s PCB anywhere convenient, and leads brought out to CT’s circuitry. It may also do some pulse conditioning and prevent continuous triggering.
Great! My electronics knowledge is not up to par, but let me know if or how I can assist here.
No, I don’t think it will be difficult. The skill is not hard to pick up.
Good to know.
The trigger signal can also be broadcast wirelessly. The repeater kit would work like a wireless doorbell. There may be uses for this long range trigger signal.
Which, I guess, would be connected to this putative PCB that you’re proposing!
No, no difference. The same surgery is performed on all CTs.
Also, great. Thanks for the explanation.
I’m hampered by not having access to a wide variety of camera traps. I can deduce what all CT trigger circuits ought to look like, and I can verify it against my own cheap CT, but I can’t verify it generally. I can use some help here.
At the discussion today, I expressed a willingness to pitch in a buy a few camera traps for this effort. I will probably buy the cheapest one listed in Freaklab’s BoomBox documentation. Would it help you @Harold if we send you some close up photos of the circuitry once the cases are opened? Or should I send one of the camera traps to you?